


The Writ of Amparo

by vitaminanime



Series: The Reunion Cycle [2]
Category: Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Betrayal, Conspiracy, Court Martial, Courtroom Drama, Drumskin Court Martial, Drumtop Court Martial, F/M, Family, Friendship, I have no idea how the justice system in Lucis works, Justice, Kangaroo Court, Loss, Mother-Son Relationship, Nightmares, Separations, Single Parents, Treachery, Treason, for that matter I have no idea how the IRL justice system works
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-08 12:07:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17386181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vitaminanime/pseuds/vitaminanime
Summary: After their world was destroyed by the Darkness, Rinoa and her son wound up in Insomnia and are serving as Glaives, getting by without Squall as best they can. When Pete/Drautos (reader, take your pic) is court martialed, he ends up thrown into a lions' den, as Squall and Rinoa's son dishes out justice like never before.





	1. Holy Darkness Be My Guide

**Author's Note:**

> Heads up readers: the Pete/Drautos court martial scenes are not two scenes back to back, but rather only one scene happens and I left it up to the reader to decide which one actually happened, depending on if they want something funny or serious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up readers: the Pete scene and the Drautos scene are not the same scene repeated twice with a different character. The scene only happens once, but the scene that "actually" happens is chosen by the reader depending on if they want something funny or serious. I couldn't decide which one to include so I left it up to the reader to decide.

Rinoa and her son were watching "Malboro-kun and Friends" but not really paying attention to it. Rinoa was mending and her son was editing a report. "Mom, how did you and dad meet?"

Rinoa looked up from her sewing. "It was at a dance. He was standing all alone and had a fresh scar on his face, and I went over to him and said "I think you're the best looking guy here" and I dragged him onto the dance floor, and the rest they say is history."

 

Her son, Amparo was his name, listened intently. He'd heard it at least a thousand times before but he never got tired of hearing it.

 

"Mom, is darkness really a bad thing?" Asked Amparo.

"Of course it it. Don't be such a goose." Said Rinoa, not looking up from her sewing.

"Even if darkness is what took our homeworld, darkness can ofter protection and shade. You know, like that battle when we and Nyx and Crowe marched ashore in the cover of night then hid until dawn and attacked in the twilight. What if light isn't all good? Light can blind you and reveal your position. What if there's such a thing as holy darkness? Or unholy light? If you think about it, black has always been the color or royals of Insomnia. Would you not say that we Glaives work in the darkness to serve the light?

"You ask too many questions for your own good." Said Rinoa as she knotted a thread on a needle.

 

Amparo signed the report and then began to load his gunblade. "Have you chosen a name yet for your new gunblade?" Said Rinoa. "I'm thinking of calling it "Holy Darkness Be My Guide In The Land Of The Lost"

 

"That's quite a mouthful." Said Rinoa. "Why not something shorter? Like Apocalypse? Or Armageddon? Or Seventh Seal? Or Puffbug?"

 

"Mom! I am not naming my new gunblade Puffbug! I might not remember a lot about Dad but I do remember he took his gunblade very seriously."

 

"That he did. Now it's my turn to ask you a question. Do you remember much about your dad?" Said Rinoa.

 

The fact of the matter was, he did not remember much about Squall. His memories of him were but short, fuzzy fragments, like dreams dreamed long ago.

 

"I remember sitting on his lap and tugging at the chain around his neck. I remember him telling me that if I trained hard enough i would be a great gunblade knight. I remember when we were by that pier and that person took that picture of us."

"Do you think he's out there somewhere? Said Rinoa.      

 

 "I think Dad became a Heartless, just like everyone else in our world. I don't even know why you bother with it. He's gone."

 

"Don't you say such things!" Exclaimed Rinoa. "Every hour I wonder if he's out there...his face haunts my dreams, my heart aches for him...I hope with all my heart he'a doing well."

 

"Mom, why don't you just give up on the notion of ever being reunited with Dad. That's what I did. I gave up hoping to find him and now I don't miss him."

 

Rinoa gasped. "How could you say that?"

 

"I mean, if he's out there that would be great, but from my experience, you can look and look and never find or you can find without even looking"

 

Rinoa looked down at her mending. It's such a pity he couldn't have a father around, especially since he needs one now more than ever now that he's a teenager. Rinoa thought as she imagined that Squall was sitting beside her, pulling her close.

 

"I could never forget your father. Especially when every time I look at you I see him." Said Rinoa. Amparo looked like someone had just dumped a bucket of cold water on him.

 

It couldnt be denied: their son had Rinoa's black hair and Squall's facial features.

 

Rinoa set down her sewing and got up and left for the next room and began to tidy up. The bed was unmade. At night she would take a blanket and roll it up and cling to it and imagine it was Squall. She would imagine that after a long day fighting that Squall would have prepared a hot meal for them when they got home or had made repairs or other little things they'd do for each other to make her happy. She unfurled the "Squall" blanket and draped it over the foot of the bed. She missed him bitterly all the time, but especially at night. She just wanted at times to lie there on a rare lazy Sunday morning, with Squall enveloping her in his arms, safe and warm under the covers, unaware of whatever was going to happen later on. There were times when she wanted to kiss him passionately, yank off his belts with her teeth, and pummel each other until they collapsed side by side, panting and sweating.

 

"Amparo, you might want to get ready for bed. Tomorrow's a big day." She called as she straightened the blankets on her bed. 

 

Amparo was having that dream again. He was a little boy again, chasing after Squall but he just kept walking away, walking into the darkness. 

"Daddy!" Amparo tried to call but the words got stuck in his throat. He tried to reach but his little hand closed around thin air. He had no mouth but he needed to scream, had no hands but needed to grasp, and no feet but needed to run.

 

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead." Said Rinoa, tugging on his feet. Amparo shoved his pillow over his head, longing to return to a sleep that would be free of frozen dreams.

"Wake up!" 

Amparo sat up, more tired than when he'd gone to sleep. It was that dream. It wasn't his only dream, but it and variations thereof were most frequent. It kept him from forgetting his father altogether. The happy dreams about his father were few and far between, and vanished soon after waking, but this dream was a howling ghost that would reappear every night to haunt his sleep.

 

Amparo got out of bed and followed Rinoa into the bathroom and began to brush his teeth. For a flash, Rinoa thought she saw Squall's reflection in the place of Amparo's, despite their differences in appearance. Amparo had shaggy black hair cut into choppy layers and was braided into cornrows over his ears and lacked the scar on his face, but Rinoa swore she saw Squall's reflection when she looked in the mirror. It made her heart bleed.

 

"Once you're all suited up, go downstairs and load and warm up the car" said Rinoa as she brushed her hair. Amparo left the bathroom. Rinoa sighed as she left the bathroom for her tiny little room. She changed out of her nightclothes- a slouchy gray ralgan shirt and black yoga pants, a far cry from the slinky satin negligees she had worn around Squall. She changed into her Glaive uniform- capri pants, shirt with insignia, black coat with buttons and insignia, thigh high boots with lots of buckles...the uniform requirements were very strict, but Rinoa found a way to weave in her own personal call to a distant time: a camisol, worn underneath, light blue with angel wings on the back. An angel without wings to take me home.

 

Rinoa got her things together and headed down to the parking garage. Amparo was already sitting in the passenger seat of their silver Volkswagen Passat wagon, The radio on full blast, Lipsyncing to the song on the radio:

 

"Fight on for the memories of the everlasting dream, their pain in silent lands on wings of glory free yeahyeahyeah...through the darkness shining, the never-ending light, on to the days of glory rise towards the fight And one day we will find a way towards this distant golden age, the cries of war will sound the day we stand before the Dawn of A New World"

 

Rinoa got into the car and turned down the volume. "I didn't know you knew all the lyrics to that song" she said as she depressed the clutch and shifted the car into reverse.

 

"Why would I not?" Said Amparo. He kept on humming the tune as they drove out of the parking garage and into the cold gray morning. "You know, your grandmother loved music." Said Rinoa. "You've told me." Said Amparo. "She was a nightclub pianist and wrote a very popular song. She would have liked you." Said Rinoa. 

 

Rinoa and Amparo arrived at the Citadel and walked through the doors and out of the cold morning. Libertus went over to Amparo and gave him an affectionate clap on the back. "Hunter, we're here to praise your name."

 

"What for?" Said Amparo. "Your request to preside over the court martial as volunteer chief magistrate has been accepted." Said Libertus.

 

"What?" Said Amparo. 

 

"You didn't hear?" Said Crowe. "Everybody approved your request to sit on the panel of judges. After all, you were the one who revealed the traitor in our midst."

 

"Why me?" Said Amparo. "Even after all those briefings I don't know the first thing about being a judge."

 

"Don't sweat it, Hunter." Said Nyx.

 

"But Hero, I'm sweating like a sinner in temple!" Said Amparo.

"Don't panic. Me, Crowe, and your mom will also be on the panel of judges. Nyx is the volunteer bailiff. We've got your back." Said Libertus.

 

Amparo, Rinoa, Nyx, Crowe, Libertus, and several other glaives entered the hall where the court martial was to be held and took their seats. Libertus, Crowe, Amparo, and Rinoa took their seats at the bench and Nyx assumed his post at the side door. 

 

Aside from the fact that Rinoa and Crowe were sitting on either side of him, Amparo thought he would melt from insecurity.

"Mom, Crowe, Libertus, I'm scared." Said Amparo. 

"Just let yourself go and do your worst." Said Crowe.

"Are you sure you want to follow through with this?" Said Rinoa.

"It's not that I want to. It's what the honor of the Kingsglaive and the bonds of heart mandate." Said Amparo.

 

The great doors at the end of the hall opened.


	2. Pete Has Approached the Bench (funny)

"All parties involved in the matter of Pete vs. Kingsglaive please rise." Announced Nyx. Two hooded glaives brought Pete down the hall, handcuffed, in chains, wearing his oversized glaive uniform. They stood him before Amparo and his panel. The members of the jury took their seats.

"What is your name?" Said Amparo. "Pete" he answered. "Pete, do you promise, with the Astrals as your witness, to tell only the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Said Amparo.

 

 "Yeah, judgy-wudgy" said Pete.

 

 Amparo glared at him. "You stand accused of breach of confidentiality, unauthorized sharing of classified information, and collusion with the Empire. How do you answer to these charges?" Said Amparo. Pete looked at him dumbly and chewed his lip.

 

"My son asked you a question." Said Rinoa.

 

"I'm confused." Said Pete.

 

"Which charge confuses you?" Said Amparo. "Conspiracy? Treason? Giving aid and comfort to the enemy? Let's start with the simplest one. You gave classified documents to Niflheim in broad daylight. You rounded up Heartless to set them loose on Insomnia. Do you deny it?" Said Amparo coldly.

 

"I did it to protect us" said Pete. 

 

"You did it to attain power for your own gains." Said Amparo. "Earlier you revealed the true location of the Crystal to the woman with the spiked headdress. Do you deny it?"

 

"But Judgy-Wudgy, I didn't want the crystal to get lost or stolen." Said Pete.

 

"You colluded with Ardyn Izunia and Iedolas Aldercapt to introduce Darkness to our land and set Heartless upon Insomnia and undermine the very foundation of our order. Do you deny it?" Said Amparo.

 

"Yeah, I deny it." Said Pete. "I don't even know why I was put in the holding cell." Pete stared off.

 

"The writ of amparo is that you were detained for the following crimes of which you stand accused. Do you deny it?" Said Amparo.

 

"Yeah, I deny it. None of you was there. None of you know what really is the truth." Said Pete.

 

"You let darkness spew forth from the keyhole." All eyes turned towards Nyx.

 

"You said you were going to plunge the Eos into darkness." Added Nyx.

 

"Y'know, what kind of judicial system is this? Judgy-wudgy is is barely older than a kid." Slurred Pete.

 

Amparo glared at Pete. "They don't want me here because I'm venerable. They want me here because I'm prudent."

 

Pete's eyes got wide. "Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Said Amparo.

 

"I was just tryin' to be, uh, helpful and stuff. And then I hurt my back. I'm a victim of soicumstances."

 

Amparo held a L for loser to his forehead.

 

"Well duh I was!" Said Pete. "So much light is too much of a good thing" then Rinoa held up some incriminating scraps of black and purple fabric.

 

That's what you do and what you've always done. Only trying to help." Said Amparo.

 

"What is the worst reason you have for turning your back on the Kingsglaive? Said Amparo.

 

"Judgy-wudgy! Please!" Said Pete. "You're like a l'il brother to me! Judgy-wudgy! I beg you! I was only trying to help!" Said Pete.

 

 "And yet you betrayed us. You betrayed the Kingsglaive, Insomnia, Lucis, and by extension all of Eos. Your betrayal almost sundered the Kingsglaive. Your betraya almost sundered an untold number of families. Your betrayal almost sundered me and my mother, just as how we were sundered by the Darkness from my father a decade ago Now all we have left is each other. There is no such thing as justice. The best we can hope for is revenge." Said Amparo.

 

"Judgy-wudgy..."

 

"Guilty as charged" Amparo banged his fist against the table.

 

The two Glaives dragged off the gibbering Pete as Amparo gave Crowe and Rinoa and Libertus and Nyx fist bumps


	3. Drautos has approached the Bench (serious)

"All parties involved in the matter of Drautos vs. Kingsglaive please rise." Announced Nyx. 

 

Two hooded glaives brought Drautos down the hall, handcuffed, in chains, wearing his wrinkled and stained glaive uniform. They stood him before Amparo and his panel.

 

They took their seats.

 

"What is your name?" Said Amparo. Amparo could see the bewilderment in Drautos's eyes, as if Drautos were standing in front of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

 

"Titus Drautos." he answered. 

 

"Drautos, do you promise, with the Astrals as your witness, to tell only the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Said Amparo.

 

 "Truth is stranger than fiction." said Drautos.

 

 Amparo glared at him. "You stand accused of treason, unauthorized sharing of classified information, and collusion with the Empire. How do you answer to these charges, Drautos?" Said Amparo. Drautos stared at him dumbly. The silence in the room was tangible. 

 

"My son asked you a question." Said Rinoa.

 

"Amparo Leonhart, forgive me. I'm confused." Said Drautos.

 

"Which charge confuses you?" Said Amparo. "Conspiracy? Treason? Giving aid and comfort to the enemy? Let's start with the simplest one. You gave classified documents to Niflheim in broad daylight. You rounded up Heartless to set them loose on Insomnia. Do you deny it?" Said Amparo coldly.

 

"I did it to protect us" said Drautos. 

 

"You did it to attain power for your own gains." Said Amparo. "Earlier you revealed the true location of the Crystal to the woman with the spiked headdress and the man in the black coat with the silver hair. Do you deny it?"

 

"But Your Honor, I didn't want the crystal to get lost or stolen. In these troubled times, where nothing is certain, the more who know of its location the better. The King perceives enemies behind every door. There is nothing to fear." Said Drautos.

 

"You conspired with Ardyn Izunia and Iedolas Aldercapt to introduce Darkness to our land and set Heartless upon Insomnia. Both of which are known enemies of Lucis. You set the civil unrest in motion and undermineed the very foundation of our order. Do you deny it?" Said Amparo.

 

"I deny it. I deny everything." Said Drautos. "I don't even know why I was put in the holding cell." Drautos stared off.

 

"The writ of amparo quite clearly states that you were detained for the following crimes of which you stand accused. Do you deny it?" Said Amparo.

 

"I said, I deny it. None of you were there. None of you saw the course of events. None of you know what really is the truth." Said Drautos

 

"You let darkness spew forth from the keyhole." All eyes turned towards Nyx.

 

"You said you were going to plunge the Eos into darkness." Added Nyx.

 

"You said you didn't know how these got there when we found them in on your person upon your detainment."said Rinoa. She held up some incriminating scraps of black and purple fabric and a lock of silver hair.

 

"What kind of judicial system is this? Is it even allowed for a minor to be volunteer chief magistrate? The judge is is barely older than a kid." Growled Drautos.

 

Amparo glared at Drautos. "They don't want me here because I'm venerable. They want me here because I'm prudent."

 

Drautos's eyes got wide. 

 

"Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Said Amparo.

 

"Amparo, I've known you since you were just a boy. I've sheltered you and all of us from those who seek to do us harm."

 

Amparo held a L for loser to his forehead.

 

"Protected me by letting darkness spew forth into Insomnia and then in the ensuing combat I fought in almost separating me from my mother, the last of my flesh and blood."

 

"Amparo, your honor." Said Drautos. "If we can have a little talk together, just me and you, I can explain everything."

 

"When I try to understand someone's meaning, I frame the premise and assume the worst. What is the worst reason you have for siding with the Empire?" Said Amparo.

 

"Your honor, I was only trying to help."

 

That's what you do and what you've always done. Only trying to help." Said Amparo. "And yet all that happens with what you is divergence. Turning your back on the king and the nation you're sworn to protect and causing rifts between us glaives, turning brothers and sisters in arms into snarling enemies. What is the worst reason you have for turning your back on the Kingsglaive? Said Amparo.

 

"Amparo! Please!" Said Drautos. 

 

"I know I'm young, but I learn. And I learn the hard way. I learned the hard way that I must shelter my loved ones whatever the cost may be." Said Amparo.

 

"I have something to say in my defense. I am commander of the Kingsglaive and I demand to be escorted to the apex of the Citadel!" Drautos struggled against his escorts but the courtroom echoed with a resounding "No!"

"Being in a position of authority is a lot like being a woman." Said Rinoa. "If you have to say you are, there is a very good chance that you are not."

The entire courtroom erupted into peals of laughter.

 

"Amparo! You're like a son to me! Your Honor! I beg you! I was only trying to help!" Drautos beseeched.

 

 "And yet you betrayed us. You betrayed the Kingsglaive, Insomnia, Lucis, and by extension all of Eos. Your betrayal almost sundered the Kingsglaive. Your betraya almost sundered an untold number of families. Your betrayal almost sundered me and my mother, just as how we were sundered by the Darkness from my father a decade ago Now all we have left is each other. I remember once many years ago you told me a way of the world. There is no such thing as justice. The best we can hope for is revenge. It is not something I like to admit, but I most wholeheartedly agree." Said Amparo. "Are there any objections?"

 

"Your Honor..."

 

"Guilty as charged" Amparo banged his fist against the table.

 

"Amparo...." Drautos rasped as Rinoa deployed a taser and fired it at Drautos, incapacitating him as the two Glaives the  dragged off Drautos's limp body.

 

 Amparo gave Crowe and Rinoa and Libertus and Nyx fist bumps for a first court martial well done.


	4. Nothing is Brighter

Later that day, Rinoa walked out into the courtyard where she found Amparo and sat down next to him. "I heard them saying that with you as the volunteer chief magistrate that they had really thrown him into a lion's den. How do you feel, Amparo?"

 

"I feel with my hands" said Amparo.

 

She laughed and poked him. "No! Really!"

"Whatever." Said Amparo.

 

"You sounded just like your father when you said that." Laughed Rinoa. "But I have a question pending: how did you feel?" She asked.

 

Amparo rocked back and forth and hugged his knees. "It is not a light-like move to condemn, but after him doing all that...siding with the enemy, compromising the Kingsglaive, and letting the Heartless loose and by extension letting darkness spill forth...we were in danger of being made into Heartless or getting separated again like we were from Dad all those years ago...Even though condemnation is dark, if condemning means keeping me and those I love and hold dear together, nothing is brighter."

**Author's Note:**

> The writ of amparo is the right a prisoner has to know the reason for their detainment, akin to Habeus Corpus.  
> Amparo means "shelter" in Spanish, and is traditionally used as a girls' name.  
> The song in Chapter 1 is from "Dawn over a New World" by DragonForce.


End file.
